Joe Pike Novel  The Missing
by wildlypoetic
Summary: While on vacation with Elvis Cole in Fiji, Diana Carter, Joe Pike's daughter gets the news her son is missing. Pike, Elvis and Diana must find out why he went missing, as Pike hunts the man responsible.
1. Chapter 1

The only thing more perfect than waking up from a nap on a beach in Fiji, is finding a beautiful woman standing over you with a cold beer in her hand, smiling.

I smiled back. "I think I died and went to heaven."

Diana sat on the lounge chair next to me and took a sip of her beer. She stared out at the ocean and seemed troubled. "I know. It's going to be hard to go back. It's just so peaceful here. It's like the past never existed and there is only this perfect moment."

Diana squeezed my hand and my heart skipped a beat. "Elvis, you're getting a little red. Maybe we should head back inside."

"I live in California not the Alaska."

"The sun is stronger here and you have the rays bouncing off the water, too."

It had been the most amazing three days of my life and I didn't want this to end either, but the Elvis Cole Detective agency and my cranky, old cat were both back in L.A. waiting for me. I kissed her hand. "Is this your attempt to get me in bed?"

She blushed shyly like a school girl and smiled.

"Let's go Romeo." She tugged at me, but I didn't want to leave the beach.

When I got inside I looked at myself in the mirror. "Damn, I do look like a lobster."

Diana walked up behind me. "A cute, but slightly overcooked one."

"Uhm, cute?"

"Yeah, cute or should I say sexy?"

I shrugged. "Either works for me."

I kissed her neck and walked her slowly to the bed.

We had been together for weeks but we hadn't made love. She didn't seem ready and I wasn't going to push the matter. She was Diana Pike, my best friend Joe Pike's daughter. I enjoyed being with her too much to ruin what we had.

The fact that Pike had a daughter had surprised us both but then life is like that sometimes. One day you're single and the next day you wake up and you find out you have a child and a you're a grandfather.

Diana wasn't one who trusted easily and I was in no hurry. She had been hurt at an early age, being rejected by the ones who were supposed to love her the most. It seemed her life mirrored her father's. I understood what she was going through. Maybe, not being able to trust is what has kept me single for so long.

Diana wrapped her arms around me, she frowned when I winced.

"Do your ribs still hurt? I'm so sorry. Are you sure you don't want to get them x-rayed? "

"Nope, just a little tender. No punctured lung, I think."

Diana pulled away from me. "If your lung was punctured you'd be coughing up blood by now."

Good to know.

I learned the hard way not to sneak up on a Pike. My attempt at joining her in the shower unannounced ended up getting me punched in the side. If I wasn't quick that would have been a kidney shot, then I'd be peeing blood instead. It was a good thing she caught herself before she did any real damage. I guess paranoia was a necessary part of her job description.

"Maybe this trip was a bad idea."

She frowned and I realized I didn't like to see her sad. I didn't like being the cause of that frown.

"Diana, I'm fine. I hope you aren't regretting coming here with me." I pulled her close and ignored the pain in my ribs when she hugged me back.

"I'm not, but I'm afraid you are. I don't think things are going as you had planned."

"Me plan? I've spent my life flying by the seat of my pants. I'm on a tropical Island relaxing with a beautiful woman I'm crazy about. How could I not be happy?"

I couldn't believe that last part slipped out, but it was true. Seeing her face the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night was something I could get used.

I kissed her, it turned hard and deep. We fell back onto the bed and I said, "Ouch. I think I'm going to need something for this sunburn."

Diana started to laugh until tears rolled down her cheeks. I couldn't help but join her.

"I'll get you some cream from the store. I suppose we better start thinking about food. I don't know about you but I'm getting hungry."

I was hungry for her but somehow I didn't think that was going to happen at the moment.

"We could have a beachside dinner again."

Diana nodded her head, no. "Rains coming, I can smell it."

"Okay," I said. Super sense of smell must be another Pike attribute.

"You want a beer?"

"I'll go get you some ointment. I'll have one when I get back."

"Seriously, I'm fine."

"I could use the walk."

"Do you want me to come with?"

I turned around with my beer Diana was gone.

I sat down on the couch and watched the sky turn from blue to onyx, dark and angry. Offshore lighting flashed like 4th of July fireworks.

"Rain." I said. I should know better than to doubt Pike's daughter. I hoped she wasn't taking a stroll on the beach in this weather.

There was a loud clap of thunder then the room went dark.

Anything else?

I tried to remember where I had seen the candles and waited for the backup generator to kick in.

Nothing.

I heard the door open.

"Over here," I shouted in the dark not wanting repeat of the shower incident.

"I can see you. The whole place is dark and they are working on the generator so it looks like no hot food for dinner. They said sandwiches if they can't get it running soon."

"Do you think they need a hand?"

"Don't leave." She grabbed my arm; there was desperation to her voice.

"We can sit here and watch the lightening."

We sat down together on the couch and watched nature's fireworks. She put her head on my shoulder and I pulled her close.

"I'm sorry I live in a different world not many can understand."

"I'm familiar with that world. You don't owe me any explanations."

She sighed and held me tighter.

Diana's phone buzzed on the table. I could feel her fight the urge to answer it but she did.

"Hello, Eric? Calm down what's wrong. Is it Micah? What do you mean he's missing?"

That got me to my feet and by her side in a hear beat. I put my hands on her shoulders and felt her tremble.

"How long? 4 days? That's not like him. I'm not in the states but I'll get the first flight I can. You call me if you hear from him."

There was a buzz and the power came back on. I saw the fear on her face, in her eyes as she closed the phone.

"Micah is missing, no one has heard from him in 4 days, maybe longer. I have to go. I have to go home." She started pacing around like a stunned animal picking up bits and pieces of her life.

"You can stay if you like."

"No way. We're going home to find Micah."

Diana turned and kissed me. "Thank you, Elvis. I…I don't know what to do. My boy is missing."

"You happen to be standing next to The World's Greatest Detective, remember."

She gave a small smile. "Yeah, that's right, World's Greatest."

I took her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Your father is Joe Pike. He can find anyone. There is none better."

Diana nodded and got on her cell phone to the airline.

Someone was going to have to tell Pike his grandson was missing, but first we had to pack and book a flight home.


	2. Chapter 2

Normally at this time Pike was just waking up for his run, but tonight sleep did not come. Images of another life flooded his mind. Like a river overflowing its banks, the images washed away the calm leaving chaos and uncertainty. Pike practiced his breathing techniques and fought the chaos, his world was all about control.

The phone on the nightstand vibrated and Pike's heart raced.

"What's wrong?" He answered.

"Dad, Micah has disappeared."

Pike sat up at the edge of the bed.

He heard the fear; her voice trembled as she fought for control.

"Eric called and said no one has seen or heard from him in 4 or 5 days now. I know something is wrong."

"Is Elvis with you?"

"Yes, we're at the airport in Fiji waiting for a storm to clear. I'm going to Eric's as soon as we land."

"I'll text you the address."

"I know where he lives."

Pike hung up the phone, he had done his homework. Something had drawn Pike to Micah Mooreland other than the fact he was his grandson. He had watched the young man from a distance on several occasions. He had seen much of Diane in his looks, but there was Pike in him, too. His build, the way he held himself reminded him of Diana. The hairs on the back of Pike's neck prickled when Micah stared in his direction as though sensing someone was there watching. He didn't have the eyes, but he had the senses to keep himself alive.

Pike had gone to Eric's gallery to get a look at Micah's paintings. He waited until neither man was there. The family resemblance between he and Diana was too strong not to notice. Micah's paintings were good, very good. Pike was proud, Micah's work was as good as anything he had seen hanging in a museum. There finally was someone in the family who was able to create, not to destroy.

Pike picked up the cell phone and called John Stone. Elvis was the World's Greatest Detective, but Stone had resources neither one of them had access to. Stone worked for the government from time to time and he had deep connections. If there was any dirt to find on Eric Mooreland, Stone would find it.

"Do you know what time it is?" Stone grumbled.

"Yes."

"With what you just interrupted this better be freaking good."

Pike heard the muffled voice of a woman in the background. Stone had company.

"I'm done saving Cole's ass. You still owe me for that job."

Pike couldn't repay a marker Stone hadn't called in. He always paid his debt, always.

"I need some information."

"So what else is new? Business or personal?"

"You don't need to know."

Pike remained silent, but so did Stone. Stone knew how to get information out of people, too.

"Personal."

"BS Pike, the only friend you've got is Elvis and I'm not saving his ass again. You don't have a personal life. You're sitting in your condo all alone, aren't you?"

Pike didn't know how to answer. He hung up the phone, he had called at a bad time and there wasn't time to waste on Stone's games. He wanted all the information he could get on Eric Mooreland before he met the man. Having family was a liability that people in Diana's line of work didn't want. He knew Diana had gone out of her way to distance herself from her son. If Stone could fit together the pieces then so could someone else. Like him, Stone was an expert at hunting people, extracting information people didn't want to give.

Pike sat in the dark, fear bubbled like a spring from the ground, filling him with coldness and doubts. Fear that Diana's enemies had come to take revenge on her son. Fear he would lose a grandson he never had gotten to know and fear that John Stone was right. Pike sat in the darkness, alone.

Pike had accepted that Diana and Micah were a new part of his family, DNA didn't lie. But he had not welcomed Diana as a father should welcome a daughter. Having a daughter with so many enemies was a liability, too. Their worlds could not collide.

The phone on the nightstand buzzed, Pike saw it was Stone."

Pike said. "What."

"Pike, I'm sorry about being such a dick. I was just kind of busy at the moment, if you know what I mean."

Pike said. "Understood."

"What is it that you need?"

"Any information you can dig up on Eric Moreland. He's an artist and owns a gallery. I want to know anything you can find out and if he's clean. This is a personal favor. It goes no further than you and I. Do not mention my name. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, yeah or you will hunt me down and kill me."

Pike did not respond.

"Okay then. I will make some calls and get back to you."

An angry woman came out of the bedroom wearing nothing but Stone's oversized shirt.

"I'm sorry sugar, but business calls."

"Yeah, well it always seems to call in the middle of the night. What the hell is her name?"

"Now, don't pout. You know the drill, business first, pleasure second."

She glared at him and turned to leave the room.

"You know you're my favorite girl. Next time I'll bring you something pretty."

She turned back and gave him a smug smile. "Unless it's got a really big diamond in it, don't bother." She took his shirt off and threw it at him. She stood there for a minute in all her naked glory, and then she slammed the bedroom door in his face.

"Pike," he mumbled.

"Let yourself out," she yelled through the closed door.

Stone wondered what secret Pike could have that would be considered personal. He had known the man for what was a lifetime in their business, and he was the most private, solitary man he had ever known.

Pike was by no means a monk. He was the only other man to get offered more tail than him; Stone was just never sure if Pike took advantage of it. You were never sure with Pike, no telltale grin or boasts of conquests around the campfire. There was only that stony silence and your own image reflected back at you in those damn glasses of his. Pike would disappear or maybe he was only sitting out of sight by himself in the dark, watching. The man was an enigma, but definitely someone you wanted watching your back in a fight.

They all had ghosts, shadows of past lives that haunted them, even Pike. He was going to have to help him out, because now his curiosity had gotten the better of him. It had to be one hell of a ghost from the way Pike sounded, one he would guard at all costs.


End file.
